Watch: ‘Portal: No Escape’

Every now and again there’s a short film that wows everyone. That time has come with Portal: No Escape.

If you’ve played the game you are well aware of what the scenario is like. You play a female prisoner who doesn’t speak, and has no recollection of who she is or how she got in her current situation. Sounds like your basic action game right? No, because in this prison is a series of tests you must pass with the use of a special tool called The Portal Gun, developed by Apeture Science. As you go throughout your examination your opposing force becomes clear in the embodiment of a female death machine known only as GLaDOS. She mocks and berates you and attempts to murder you on many occasions but you eventually over come her, yadda yadda yadda.

That’s just the game, now imagine if that was turned into a fan made short film. Now the collective audience groans, as many previous fan made video game based short films have faltered and fallen to the wayside, but belay those cries of protest. For this film is a game changer.

Portal: No Escape, is very similar in regards to the basic story of the Portal video game. Female prisoner, doesn’t speak, isn’t sure how she got there, it’s all the same. Yet with the brilliant cinematography, you too are transported into her cell as you watch her in an Oldboy -esque montage, plotting her escape. As she discovers the means to leave her prison, you watch her struggle against guards, physical obsticles as well as a truly devestating mental barrier. All the key elements of a great pulse pounding film are there, with some great stunt work and brilliant CGI. It’s no wonder that Portal: No Escape, could easily lead to a full length film.

The director, Dan Trachtenberg, could very well be a true film maker. This film alone showcases a lot his talents, and a lot of his love for the game Portal. With plenty of subtle nuances to the game itself, there is a lot of passion behind this work and it shows. To say that he should keep going with this is an understatement. I was skeptical at first, but when I read a comment saying “I KEEP THROWING MONEY AT THE SCREEN, BUT NOTHING’S HAPPENING!” I figured this has got to be good enough. And it far exceeded those expectations.

Whether or not this tells Valve that they need to explore the possibility of making it a full length film is not for me to say, but what should be done is that Dan needs to continue making these short films. And soon enough maybe his dream will come true. As GLaDOS would say ” Unbelievable. You, *subject name here,* must be the pride of *subject hometown here.*”